Heimer



(No Model.) B. HEIMER.

PURSE OR BAG GLIASP.

No. 277,064. Patented May 8,1883.

WITNESSES: INVENTOE /W UL \Mgu wp BY! ATTORNEY 3c is a front elevation of the same closed.

7' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENGELBERT SONTHEIMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CORNELIUS BEARD, OF SAME PLACE.

PURSE OR BAG CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,064, dated May 8, 1883. Application filed 1131131112, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ENGELBERT S01v1- HEIMER, a citizen of Lindau, Kingdom of Bavaria, and a resident of the city, county, and

State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Purse or Bag Clasps or Frames, of which the following is a specification.

. The object of this invention is to provide-an to improved clasp or frame for the mouths of purses, bags, and the like.

The invention consists of a bag clasp or frame the two parts of which are hinged or jointed together with toothed sloping shanked I 5 studs in such a manner that suitable pressure on the latter when the bagis closed will effect a downward and unlocking movement of that half of the clasp or frame to which the studs are fixed, sothat it may be thrown open by the action of an attached spring; and the invention further consists of novel devices for holding the clasp or frame closed, all of which will be hereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying 2 5 drawings, forming part of this specification, in

which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan of my improved device open and attached to a purse or bag. Fig. 2

Fig. 3 represents elevations of the ends ofthe two sections of the frame or clasp. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a stud in position. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a portionofthe clasp orframe, showing thepositions of studs and sections of clasp when pressure is applied to the former for opening the latter.- Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan of the same, partly in section. Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross- 0 section of a stud on line an iv, Fig. 4.

In the drawings, A A represent the two sections of my improved clasp or frame applied to a purse or' bag, B, in the usual manner of like (levices,.by rivets a a. The en- 4 5 larged ends of section A have T-shaped slots 1) formed in them, as shown in Fig. 3, for the accommodation of the studs 0 O, that pass through them, while the ends of the clasp-section A have only round perforations c, as

shown in Fig. 3, for securely and rigidly holdl ing the inner ends of the studs 0 O, thatare fixed therein. In assembling the parts of the said clasp or frame the ends of the section A are placed on the inside ofthose of section A, the latter section being somewhat larger than the former.

' Fixed on the inside of the central and highest part of the section .A is a downward-pro jecting locking-pin, d, that engages in the opposite perforated catch, f, of section A when the clasp is shut, and thereby holds the two sections closed. Q

A spring, D, having its ends fixed to opposing ends ofclasp-sections A A, serves to throw and hold said clasp open when it is unlocked. 6 The extremity or inner end of the shank of each stud O is cylindrical, as shown at y, where it passes through the end of clasp-section A, wherein it is held by a burr, h. The remainder of said stud-shank is of parallelo- 7o grammic cross-section, about twice as deep as wide, and is inclined upward and outward at an angle of about forty degrees, as shown at t, and on its outer and higher end is formed "a head, k. The shank of each stud O has formed 7 5 on its broadest sides, near its lower end, projecting teeth mm, that are designed to engage in the horizontal parts of the slots 1) b when the clasp or frame is closed, and thereby prevent its becoming opened accidentally by pressure upon the top of the clasp.

When this clasp or frame A A is closed the flat and inclined shanks of the studs C 0 rest ed gewise in the vertical portions of the T-slotsb b, and the shank-teeth m m rest in the hori- 8 zontal portions of said slots, thereby locking the two clasp-sections together. At the same time the pin 01 engages in the catchf, giving further security to the device. Simple downward pressure applied to the top of the claspsection A may release the catch from the locking-pin d,- but this will not suffice to open the clasp, because the. sections A A cannot turn or move apart so long as the teeth of the studs 0 O are engaged in the slots 1) b, as above 5 set forth. If, however, the studs 0 Q be pressed inward, as may be readily done between thumb and finger, the teeth m m are thereby disengaged from the slots 1) I), so that the clasp-sections A A may be moved apart by the action 1C0 of spring D, and at the same time such inward pressure on the studs O forces the clasp-section A downward, because of the inclined planes of the stud-shanks operating against 5 the upper edges of the slots b b sufficiently to release the catch from thelocking-pin d, and then the clasp is thrown open by the spring D. This device is very. simple, eii'ective, and easily applied to purses, bags, and receptacles IO of like character.

Having thus desci ibed my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A purse clasp or frame constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of two clasp or frame sections held or jointed together with studs provided with sloping toothed shanks, all arranged and operating as set forth.

2. In a purse or bag clasp or frame, the combination, with a relatively-fixed section provided with T-slots in its ends, through which actuating-studs are passed, of a relativelyinovable section in whose ends said studs are fixed, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a purse or bag clasp or frame, studs provided with toothed sloping shanks, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the clasp or frame may be opened or held closed, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the frame or clasp A A, provided with T-slots Z), of the studs 0- ENGELBERT SONTHEIMER.

Witnesses:

JACOB J. STORER, OHAs. A. Bass. 

